Automobile-wheel.



Patented Juiy 11, 1916 IEEFEEEE@ SCHMITT.

'IvIfI AUTOMOBILE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED ocT. I2, 1915.

MATHIAS J. SCHMITT, 0F EMOBIA, KANSAS.

AUTOMOBILE-WHEEL.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1915. Serial No. 55,482.A

puncture and deterioration.

. A Another object of theinvention is to pro tion` and arrangement of "structure, the hub comprising a' outer ring 2, side plates 3 engaging the opy posits acesof the coreA and the o uter ring,

circumferential section vide novelnieans for adjusting the effort of the springs whereby the rim portion of the wheel is yieldablyV supported and sustained.

,lt is within the province of the disclosure toV improve generally ,and to enhance the .utility oi devices of that type to which the resent invention appertains. l/"Vith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combina parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described andv claimed, it being .understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made Within "the scope of what is claimed, without de parting from the spirit of the invention.

ln the accompanying drawing z-Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a wheel embodying thepresent invention; Fig.

' of a wheel embodying the present invention, parts appearing in elevation; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line li- 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail illustratinga portionv of the -hub and the means whereby the eli'ort of the springs 1s adjusted.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a hub which is a composite core 1, an

securing elements L unitingt'he core 1 with the side platesk 3, and securmg elements 5 uniting the outer ring 2 with the side .l pair of side plates plates 3.

.' The felly portion of the wheel embodies a 6 provided adjacent the hub with overlapped flanges 7. The side States, residing atiY 2 is a ragmental.,

outer' ring 2.

plates 6 are united by securing elements 8 and 9, and are spaced apart by sleeves 10 surrounding the securing elements.

The rim of the' wheelv embodies a tread 12, and side plates 11, one of which may be removable. The side plates 11 are connected by securing elements 14: and 16, the securing elements 14: being surrounded by sleeves 15 which serve to space the side plates 11 apart. The securing elements 16 may carry projecting clips 17 retaining on the tread 12, a tire 18. Since a spring wheel cannot be characterized patentably by any specific form of tire, the showing of the drawings in this regard is typical and illustrative, merely,

18 may be fashioned in any desired manner.

it being understood that the tire ln the side plates 11 of the rim are fashioned enlarged openings 19 through which pass the securing elements 9 'and' the sleeves 10, the openings 19 being of sufficient size so that the /rim and the tire 18 may have the necessary movement, when the yieldable or resilient structures hereinafter to be described, are brought into operation.

The invention comprises a plurality of tubular spokes 20 passing through the outer ring 2 of the hub. Threaded onto the spokes 20 are nuts 21 which bear against' the outer edge of the outer ring 2 lof the hub. Cap nuts 22 are threaded onto the ends of the spokes'20 and are seated in suitably shaped recesses formed in the inner edge of the :.Obviously, the nuts 21 and 22 serve to hold the inner end of the spoke firmly assembled with the outer ring 2 of the hubf The outer end of the spoke 20 passes through the flanges 7 ofthe side plates 6 of the telly and nuts 32threaded onto the spoke 20, coact with the flanges 7 to hold the outer end of the spoke assembled withthe felly in a manner which will be obviousy from the drawings.

ldountedtol reciprocate longitudinally in the spoke 20 relatively; near tvo the hub is a` ltubular nut 23 provided with grooves 25 adapted to receive projections 24 on the spoke, the grooves and the projections constituting interengaging elements whereby vthe nut is prevented from rotating with reable in acap .nut 33 threaded onto the outer end of the spoke 20. The squared end 27 of the screw 26 `is slidably received in a socket 28 formed inthe core 1 of the-hub. The

` its inner end against a compresswn spring 31 .the outer end of ing squared end27 of the screw 26 is also slidable in a Worm wheel 29, located between vthe core 1 and the outer ring 2 of the hub, the screw 26 being adapted to be rotated through the instrumentality of a worm wheel 29 and the worm wheelbeing rotated b v means of a worm 30 journaled for rotation in the which abuts againstv the cap nut 33.

erably inthe form of a rod, constitutmg a outer ring 2 o The invention comprises a link 34, preftension connection, the outer end of the rod 34 being secured as indicated at 35 to the tread 12. lThe inner endof the link 34 terminates in a hook 36 engaged in an opening in the outer end of the screw 26; i

Alternating with the tubular spokes 20 are tubular spokes 37 secured to flanges 7 of the side plates of the felly by lmeans of nuts 38, a nut 39 on the inner end of the spoke 37 'engaging the outer edge of the on the inner end of the spoke 37 coacting with the inner the hub, in a manner described hereinbe. fore in connection with the cap nut 22.

Disposed withinthe tubular spoke 27 is a compression spring 42, the inner end of which abuts against the cap nut 40, the outer end of which abuts against a nut 46, mounted to slide longitudinally in the spoke 37, near to the outer end of the spoke, the nut 46 being equipped with grooves 48, coacting with projections 47 on the spoke, toprevent a rotation of the said nut. Threaded into the tubular nut 46 is a screw 43 actuated by a worm wheel 44 and a worin 45, in

In the movable with the manner 'hereinbefore described. outer end of the screw 43 1s fashioned ut seat 49 adapted to receive a ball 50 which' bears against the inner surface of the tread ,portion 12 of the rim.

be understood readily t ti-mes, as will from the drawings, the screw 43 in the spoke 37 will be pressed inwardly, the spring 42 being put under compression. At times, the screw 26 in the tubular spoke 20 will be drawn outwardly, the spring 3l being put under compression.

The effort of the spring 3l may be adjusted by rotating the screw 26 through the medium of the worm wheel 29 and the worm 30, it being observed that 23 will be adva'nced or retracted, the tubular nut being the tubular nut 23 isv the hub, and a cap nut 40' edge of the outer ring 2 of.

,spoke and under such cir.

The spring 42 in the tubu ar spoke 37. is adjuste'd in a, similar manner, by rotating the screw 43 through the medium of the worm wheel 44 and the worm 45.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is l 1. ln a spring Wheel, a hubl;` a felly; a rim movable with respect to the lfelly; 'spokes connecting the hub and the felly, one vspoke being tubular; a screw slidable in the tubular spoke and coacting with the rim; a'nut into which the screw is threaded, the nut being slidable in the said spoke; interengaging elements' on the nut and the said spoke for holding the nut against rotation; aA spring one end of which is engaged by thenut; and means' for engaging the other end of the spring.

2. In a spring wheel, a hub; a `felly;a rim movable with respect to the felly; snokesI connecting the hub and the telly, one ,spoke being tubular; a screw slidable inA-tll'e 'tubular spoke and coacting with the rim; a nut into which the screw is'threaded-,1the nuitl being slidable in the said spoke; interengaging ele- 'ments on the nut and the said spoke for holding the nut against rotat n; a spring engaged at one end by the nut; means :for engaging the other end of the spring; and means for rotating the screw.

In a'spring wheel,4 a hub; a telly; a rim movable with respect to the telly; spokes connecting the hub and the felly, one spoke being tubular; a'screw slidable in the.l tubular coacting with -the rim; a nut into which the screw is threaded, the nut being slidable in the said spoke; interengaging elements on-the nut and the said spoke for hold` ing the nut against rotation; a spring engaging at one end by the nut; means for engaging the other end of the spring; and a hub carried wheel in which the screw is slidable, the wheel and the screw being interengaged for simultaneous rotation.

ln a spring wheel, a hub; a telly; a rim respect to the felly; spokes connecting the hub and the felly, one spoke being tubular; a screw slidable in the tubular spoke and coacting with the rim; a nut into which the screw is threaded, the nut being slidable in the said spoke; interengagingelements on the nut and the said spoke for holding the nut against rotation; a spring engaged at one end bythe nut'; means for engaging the other end of the spring; a hub carriedl worm wheel in which the 'screw is slidable, the worm wheel and the screw being interengaged for simultaneous rotation; and a hub carried worm meshing into the worm wheel. K

5. ln a spring wheel, a hub; a felly; a 'rim movable with respect to the telly; spokes vconnecting the 'hub and the telly; one spoke being tubular; a screw slidable in the tubular spoke; a tension connection between the outer end of the screw and the rim; a nut into which the screw is threaded, the nut being slidable in the said spoke and being lo-- V' cated adjacent the hub; interengaging elements on the nut andon the said spoke for holding the nut vagainst rotation; a' 'spring abutting at its inner 'end against the nut; a spoke-carried abutment receiving the outer end of the spring; and hub-carried means operatively :connected with the screw to ro-A tate thescrew.

'I f6.. In a spring wheel, a hub; a telly; a rim movable with 'respect to the telly; spokes l connecting the hub and the felly, one spoke being tubular.; a screw slidable in the tubular spoke and abutting at its outer end against the rim'; a nut into which thef screw is threaded,l the nut being located at the outer end of the'said spoke and being slidable in the said spoke; interengag'mg elements on the nut andthe said spoke for holding the nut against rotation; aspring abutting at its outer end against the nut; means for engaging the inner end of the spring; andl hub carried'means for rotating the screw.

7. In a spring wheel, a hub; a elly 'a rim movable with respect, tothe elly; primary 'and' secondary tubular spokes connectlng the hub and the felly; 4screws longitudinally slidable in the spokes, one screw abutting against the rim; a tension connection between the other screw and the rim; a nut 'slidable vin the outer endo the primary spokea nut slidable in the inner end of the secondary spoke, the respective screws being threaded into the nuts; interengaging elements on the nuts and on the screws for 'holding the nutsagainst rotation; vsprings in the spokes and engaged at one end with. the nuts; means for" engaging the other ends. 

